Another Tusker Electrocuted, Even As Assam CM Asks NRF to Prevent Train- Elephant Collision with High End Tech

GUWAHATI: Over the past few months, many jumbos have been dying for a variety of causes. The most common causes, in the latest incidents that have come to light, include being struck by moving trains or being electrocuted. Assam's Nagaon district Monday reported a case of a wild tusker dying after coming into contact with an electrical wire. Later, the case was investigated by the forest department, who stated that they were unsure if the giant had indeed perished from electrical shock. They claimed that they had a suspicion that the jumbo's death may have been caused by something else.

According to sources, the 7-year-old jumbo was discovered dead in a paddy field in Nagaon district. The statements obtained from the inhabitants verified that the jumbo had entered the inhabited area to look for food, when it unintentionally touched an electrical wire that was hanging far lower than the allowed height. Another jumbo was discovered dead from electrocution in Gossaigaon district a few days back in a similar scenario.

Death of jumbos occurred due to the collision with trains in various places of Assam in the last few months. That is the reason why the CM of Assam has asked NRF to adopt high end technology, which can help in preventing the recurrent death of jumbos through train collisions. In a meeting where the CM was discussing about various infrastructure expansion plans it was mentioned that the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) should come out with some plans to prevent the jumbos from having such miserable death.

CM Sarma also made a statement on his Twitter handle saying, "Issues like elephant corridor and elephant deaths caused by train hits were also discussed. Asked the GM to deploy high-end tech solutions for saving our tuskers."

On October 10, a female elephant and her calf were killed after being hit by the Rajdhani Express near Kharikatia railway station in Jorhat district.

The accident happened when a herd of elephants were crossing the railway tracks, officials said, adding that the female elephant was 22 years old and the calf was 10 months old. "The forest department had alerted railway officials about the movement of wild elephants and requested them to ensure that trains slowed down while passing the area. But they did not do that," Jorhat district forest officer Biken Pegu said then.

Adoption of high end tech by NFR, as suggested by the Assam CM, is likely to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.

Also read: Boat Accident on the Brahmaputra Leaves One Dead

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